Dynamo's Ching says he'll retire if taken in expansion draft

Published 11:42 pm, Tuesday, November 22, 2011

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Brian Ching
Houston Dynamo
2011 MLS photo

Brian Ching
Houston Dynamo
2011 MLS photo

Dynamo's Ching says he'll retire if taken in expansion draft

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All-time Dynamo scoring leader Brian Ching, who scored the franchise's first goal at Robertson Stadium in 2006 and its last at the venue in 2011, vowed to retire Wednesday if the Montreal Impact take him in the expansion draft.

"I talked to my agent, and my agent has pretty much told (Marsch) that I wouldn't go," Ching said.

Ching, 33, will earn more than $400,000 next season. At his age and salary level, the former U.S. national team forward acknowledged that Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear made the right move including him among the nine players the team left unprotected in the expansion draft.

Ching has made it clear he would like to play at least one more year in Houston, where a new stadium will be in place next season. But if the Impact select him, he will stay in the Dynamo's front office in hopes of continuing to grow the sport of soccer in the Bayou City.

"I feel like my home is here now," said Ching, who has an accounting degree. "This is where I want to be - with the Dynamo. I would want to play in the new stadium, and if I can't, it would hurt a lot.

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"But if (the Impact) pick me, I'll be at the new stadium as part of the front office, not as a player."

Although their relationship has been brutally honest at times and definitely not above the occasional fiery exchange, Ching doesn't want to play for a coach other than Kinnear, who has led the Dynamo to three MLS Cup finals and two titles in his six years in Houston.

"I've pretty much played with Dom my entire professional career," Ching said. "He's one of the big reasons why I've been successful. We have a great friendship; it goes beyond the field. I don't see myself playing for any other coach at this point in my career.

"I just know (Marsch) as a competitor on the field. He's a competitive guy. He's a guy that's been successful in the league. I have nothing against him, but I wouldn't play for him."

Post-career model

Kinnear would love to see Ching remain with the franchise long after he hangs up his cleats.

"The one thing I noticed around the world with soccer teams is they keep their players involved, especially the players who were popular and had been successful," Kinnear said. "I think it would be something I'd like to see in American soccer.

"If we could offer that opportunity to Brian, it would just show you how much he's meant to our team. On the field, people like to say he's the face of the franchise, and I wouldn't argue with that. And with his charity work and everything he's done for our franchise with season-ticket holders and in the community, he's done so much off the field, too."

Loyalties lie here

For those reasons, Ching doesn't envision wearing another uniform.

"The franchise is my home," Ching said. "My identity is with this franchise. I don't see myself playing for any other franchise in MLS. My loyalties are here.

"If (the Impact) pick me, obviously I'm going to retire and work in the (Dynamo) front office. It would hurt me deeply, because I want to be a part of the new stadium. I've never been (with) a franchise that had its own stadium. I've been in the league for 11 years now, and I would like to be a part of a place that I could call home, I guess."